Evidence-based cesarean delivery: intraoperative management from skin incision until placental delivery (Part 8)

The goal of standardizing the technique of the routine, uncomplicated cesarean delivery (CD) is to decrease maternal morbidity while optimizing neonatal outcomes. During the procedure, a family-oriented CD is recommended. The low transverse cesarean skin incision (created with either scalpel or diathermy) is preferred with either the Joel-Cohen or Pfannenstiel methods being acceptable. For patients with obesity (BMI > 35kg/m²), surgeons may also elect either the Cohen (including supraumbilical) or Pfannenstiel (infraumbilical or infrapannus) technique as there are similar outcomes, however the Cohen approach has been associated with lower Apgar scores and decreased surgeon satisfaction related to the feasibility of the incision. Diathermy may be preferred for subcutaneous tissue opening as compared to sharp dissection. Though postoperative recovery outcomes may be improved with an extraperitoneal approach to CD, a transperitoneal technique is the current standard of care. The initial fascial incision is made sharply, further extension can be carried out either sharply or bluntly. Inferior dissection of the rectus muscle can be omitted and routine cutting of the muscles is not needed. If necessary, a Maylard modification is acceptable. Though based on limited data, blunt peritoneal entry and extension should be considered. With regards to uterine entry and delivery: bladder flap creation should be omitted, a low transverse hysterotomy is recommended with blunt cephalo-caudad expansion, and manual delivery of the fetal head should be performed. If the fetal head is impacted, then reverse breech extraction may be preferred for maternal benefit. Delayed cord clamping is recommended for at least 30 seconds and up to 120 seconds (recommended for preterm deliveries) with either routine or selected umbilical cord gas collection being considered. In areas where available, carbetocin is more effective in prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Otherwise, the combination of oxytocin plus either misoprostol or methergine should be utilized. There is insufficient evidence regarding the effectiveness of uterine massage for PPH prevention. Spontaneous removal of the placenta with gentle cord traction is recommended.